Zelenskyy-Milei meeting: an entry point for contacts with the right

And the facts are as follows.

The election of a politician who is clearly oriented toward the West and takes an openly pro-Ukrainian position as the leader of Argentina for the first time in a long time is a serious chance and opportunity for Ukraine. For a long time, Argentina (like many other Latin American countries) has been trying to play "opposition to the West," the quintessence of which was to be joining the BRICS, an organization that was conceived as an alternative to the West and that has long been among the favorite geopolitical toys of one “bunker old man” (Putin - ed.). And now Javier Milei becomes president of Argentina, and that's it, no one is joining any BRICS anymore. This is already a serious matter, as the foundational ideology of the Kremlin regime hinges on the notion that it is establishing an "alternative to the West."

Moreover, since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, Milei has been a strong pro-Ukrainian voice, which was also not typical for Argentine politics. So, for us, this is all a chance to change the tables in South American politics, and it would be rather stupid to waste these chances.

But that's not all. And it's not just Argentina. Milei himself, despite his rather peculiar image, has a rather right-wing economic program, and is seen as one of the world's right-wing politicians. Including those who are rather ambivalent about supporting Ukraine. For example, Milei was congratulated on his victory by Donald Trump. Therefore, for Ukraine, contacts with Milei also mean additional diplomatic opportunities for the future.

In the end, this has already played out to some extent, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a very meaningful conversation in Argentina with Viktor Orban, who also came to the inauguration of the Argentine leader. Orban, obviously, also planned to establish contacts with the extravagant president of Argentina, and this is the entry point for contacts with our very difficult neighbor. Ultimately, this is important for us in the context of the decisions that the EU has to make in December. Therefore, if Argentina can offer assistance in any manner, it would be beneficial for all parties involved.

For a long time, South America remained distant from Ukraine, both geographically and politically. Now, an opportunity has emerged for us to effect change, and it is crucial to seize it, as history does not always present such chances, especially in the case of Ukraine.

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About the author. Petro Oleshchuk, political scientist

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.